The best budget spreadsheet is the one that answers the question you actually have. Here is how to choose between the Money Detective workbooks, including when the free one is enough.
Written by Alex BPublished 10 November 2026
Money Detective is built around practical household money tools for Australians.
People often pick a budget spreadsheet by how it looks. A better way is to start with the problem. A spreadsheet that shows where last month's money went is a different tool from one that tells you what is safe to spend before payday, and neither is much use if you wanted a plan for paying off a debt.
All Money Detective spreadsheets are supplied as Excel (.xlsx) workbooks, and you type your own figures. Nothing connects to your bank. Here is how to choose.
| If your question is... | Look at |
|---|---|
| "I just want to try a fortnightly budget first, free." | Free fortnightly budget |
| "What can I safely spend before my next payday?" | Payday Buffer ($16.95) |
| "I want a fuller fortnightly budget with budget vs actual, savings goals and optional transaction import." | Fortnightly Budget Plus ($12.95) |
| "I want to paste in a bank statement and see what went to bills, spending and savings." | 3-Minute Budget |
Prices and features are listed on each product page, which is the source to check before buying.
The budget templates hub lists every workbook, including the debt, savings and bill-checking products, with the question each one answers.
If you are paid fortnightly or weekly, a tool built around your pay cycle will fit better than one that assumes a calendar month. A monthly bill is not half a bill each fortnight, and two months a year have three paydays. Our guide to budgeting fortnightly explains why this matters.
Looking back means finding out where the money went. Planning ahead means deciding before the pay is spent. Most people need both eventually, but a planning tool is the one that helps when the problem is "I never have enough before payday".
A fuller workbook gives more detail but needs more of your time. If you have never kept a budget, a simpler one that you use for three months is better than a detailed one you stop using in week two.
If your pay and bills are fairly steady, the free fortnightly budget may be all you need. Paid workbooks make sense when you want something specific, such as setting aside for upcoming costs, a safe-to-spend estimate or a dashboard. If you are not sure, start free. You can change your mind later and your figures are easy to re-enter.
It looks ahead from today to your next payday. You enter your pay, the bills before payday, upcoming costs and essentials, and it shows a Safe to Spend estimate. It supports weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly and monthly pay. It is built for planning, not for tracking everything you have spent. See the worked example.
It compares a budget for each category with what you actually spent, with savings goals and an optional transaction import. It is built for looking back at a fortnight and seeing where you went over or under.
A simple fortnightly budget with planned and actual columns and one dashboard. It is free in exchange for your email and a newsletter signup.
For tracking bills, due dates and renewals in one place.
For paying down debt (snowball or avalanche) and for splitting shared expenses fairly.
Planning tools answer "what should this pay do?". Tracking tools answer "what did it do?". People who are always short before payday usually need planning first, because tracking tells you where the money went after it is gone. People who earn enough but cannot see where it goes usually need tracking first. Many households eventually use both. The Payday Buffer page has a side-by-side comparison with Fortnightly Budget Plus.
Ask yourself which of these sentences you say most often:
If two of them are true, start with the one you say more. You can add the other later.
All Money Detective spreadsheets are Excel (.xlsx) workbooks, designed for Microsoft Excel. Check the compatibility notes on each product page before you buy.
No. You type your own figures. Fortnightly Budget Plus has an optional transaction import where you paste rows from a statement, but nothing connects to your bank.
All of them work with fortnightly pay. Choose by the question: Payday Buffer for what you can spend before payday, Fortnightly Budget Plus for where it went.
If your pay and bills are steady and you want a simple plan, it may be. If you want upcoming costs set aside and a Safe to Spend figure, that is what Payday Buffer adds.
None of them is a substitute for advice from a financial counsellor if debts are getting out of hand.
They are planning tools that give estimates based on what you enter. They do not give financial advice, connect to your bank, or know about a bill you leave out.
This article provides general information only. It does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs, and it is not financial advice. Examples use invented figures. Money Detective's tools provide estimates and planning information. Consider your own circumstances, and seek independent advice if you need it, before making financial decisions.